


Mermaid Nights

by cannedgoo



Category: Disenchantment (Cartoon 2018)
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Mental Health Issues, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:27:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28861050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cannedgoo/pseuds/cannedgoo
Summary: [Takes place from middle of Part 3 to end of Part 3]. Mora continues to visit Bean at night. Bean needs to find solace in Mora’s visits. With her father’s declining health, the kingdom needs Bean. Short stories told (mostly) in the night. M for mild sexual content.
Relationships: Bean | Tiabeanie/Mora the Mermaid
Comments: 4
Kudos: 54





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Bean came home from Luci’s Inferno. Definitely drunk, but also definitely more mellow than her usual cantankerous nature at bar close. She staggered through the lowered drawbridge, into her - _her?_ castle, up her tower, and fell onto her bed. Bean’s mind was in a lot of places that weren't the cobblestone streets of Dreamland. Oona’s drug-fueled adventure had helped to clear her mind at the time, but it didn’t stop the thoughts from creeping in while she was vulnerable. Her mind sludged through the ethanol stew to her father and the haunting noises he had started to make while she was underground. It turned slowly, thinking of the mermaid she met in Steamland. She really missed her course, salty hair and briney skin. Or, missed her dreams of her. Curious how this dream never seems to fade, and the pain doesn’t seem to be subsiding. Bean rolled onto her stomach, her booted feet hanging off the bed, her tunic disheveled. With her face smashed firmly into her bed, a drunken sleep quickly took over her body.

Bean awoke in the middle of the night, although all she could see was the taupe linen of her blanket. At first she wasn’t sure what had caused her to stir, although frankly by this point she was getting real sick of all the people bustling about that thought they could just come into her room and move her stuff and make weird noises in the walls and - 

“Hey! Psst! Bean!” The voice was coming from outside. Groaning, Bean swung her legs around the side of her bed in a dramatic fashion.

Bean straightened her tunic as she stood up. “I swear, if this is Elfo, I’m gonna be really mad,” she called out as she made her way toward her window. She looked out, her white hair tangled with the day’s adventure and the night’s sleep. Nobody was around at eye level. Not surprising, her room is at tower height. She looked down, and still didn’t see anyone.

“Pssssssst! Over here!” Squinting, Bean turned her head to the water. In the darkness it was hard to see, but there seemed to be someone in the water, cupping their hands to call out. “Bean! It’s me! Come down here!”

The person somehow managed to yell in a whispered voice. With all of the people Bean’s had to deal with recently, the whisper made the voice nearly unrecognizable. But there was a tugging in her chest that told her she should go. Go ask Sorcerio about that feeling too, probably, but for now go investigate. Bean took a shortcut, feeling that time was of the essence. She leapt over the sill of her window and slid down a banner hanging below, landing in the courtyard.

Once on the ground, she could hear more clearly. She realized she never bothered to respond to the weirdo in the water. “I’m coming!” Bean yelled, maybe too loudly for the middle of the night in a kingdom that seemed to be facing imminent siege. With that, she walked around the side of her castle, dropping down to the craggy shore where Derek likes to play. Carefully, she made her way down the slick rocks to the shoreline. As she approached, she could see more clearly that it was a woman who had called out to her. It was also a lot darker in Dreamland than she was used to, or her eyesight got really bad really fast, or she’s way more boozed up than she thought. Regardless, it meant although she knew there was a woman in the water calling for her, she really wasn’t sure who.

“Who is it?” Bean asked, although she wasn’t sure she’d even trust the answer. So many things aren’t what they seem anymore. “Why are you out there?”

The woman’s head dipped under the water, and ripples parted and she swam with an impressive speed toward the shore. The water wasn’t very deep at the rocky shoreline, and the woman resurfaced. Bean rubbed her eyes. Then stared. Then rubbed them again for good measure. Then she erupted in the biggest, toothiest smile.

“Mora!” Bean yelled, running up to the mermaid. “Oh my god! Oh my god! You’re real! And you’re here! And you’re real! I wasn’t dreaming! Hey… what happened to that necklace you gave me then? Nevermind. You’re real!”

Mora looked quietly on at Bean while she flailed, her excitement getting the better of her judgement. Her eyes did not betray much, only that she was also happy to see Dreamland’s Princess.

Bean stopped talking, breathing a little hard from her excitement and also from not ever breathing while talking. She considered being mad at Mora. If Mora was real, how could she have left Bean there with Elfo? On an island with a sunken ship? How could she have let Bean think the only time she had ever felt love was in a dream she made up? Bean looked at the mermaid, her dark hair and green scales blended into the shore. It was no wonder she couldn’t tell who it was until she was closer.

But Bean loved everything about Mora. She loved Mora’s shimmering scales and her pungent smell of freedom. She’d probably hate that smell on anyone else. She loved her eyes and her cute nose and even that dumb voice she used to make money in Steamland. Looking at Mora, Bean felt a comfort she hadn’t found since leaving that island.

Bean reached out to Mora, wrapping her in an embrace. Mora returned the embrace with zeal, arching her back under Beanie’s arms and pressing her chest into the white haired woman’s. Having just come out of the water, she was a little cold, but except for her hair remarkably dry. Mora exhaled into Bean’s ear, and Bean considered telling her everything that’s been going on at home. All of the new things about Dad, even more things about Mom, but Bean didn’t want to ruin the moment. For Mora or for herself. She needed the reprieve.

“Hey, Bean?” Mora separated from the hug, and looked at Bean. She pulled her guitar out of who-knows-where again. “I’ve been working on another song for you.”

Bean straightened herself on the rock she was sitting on, hands firmly in her lap. There was no doubt she loved this Mermaid with every fiber of her being, and anything this beautiful fish could create would be magic. Mora steadied herself, and began plucking away rhythmically. The air filled with her magnificent voice. But her song was so haunting. It reminded Bean of a song some of the chemical workers sang in Steamland. It talked about her early death, and of Mora watching from the heavens.

“Mora. I don’t understand,” Bean responded. “I mean, I only know what some of those words even are because you’re the one who taught them to me. But I know what death is. Your song is lovely, it really is. I just don’t get it. What do you mean?”

Mora leaned in and kissed Bean, the mermaid grabbing her cheeks with pruned hands.

And then Bean was staring at her canopy in her room. She felt hollow and empty. Was it another dream about the magnificent mermaid? She was so mad. How could she be falling in love with someone who isn’t even real? Why did her heart hurt so much over someone who isn’t real? Why did her head hurt so much-- Okay, she knew that one. Luci gave her a lot of doubles last night. The kingdom probably could run itself for a little while, but Bean couldn’t take that chance.

Sighing, she stood up and slid her boots on. Time for another day in Dreamland.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Bean had been busy the last few days dealing with Odval. Between him trying to kill her father and his strange sex group that meets in her castle, she felt like she was always on her toes around him. And Turbish, because she’s now seen too much of him to feel calm ever again. No matter how busy she was, she couldn’t help but be acutely aware that her dreams had been the normal alcohol-and-drugs dreams, not the lovely mermaid-singing-sad-songs dreams. She really wanted the mermaid dreams right now.

Bean was on her toes because of Odval and his secret order, but the rest of the castle was on edge in response to the mad king. Her father has taken to making these horrifying honks and screams, seemingly with little provocation. The castle staff have at least begun figuring out what triggers the worst of his behavior. Regardless, nobody was sleeping well, and it was making people a bit grumpy.

Bean would love to kick grumpy people ass at any other time in her life. Hell, she kicks happy, drunk, sad, and melancholy ass all the time. Kind of her past time down at Luci’s. But life had gotten very real and very, very hard for her lately. Bringing her mother back turned out to be a huge mistake, and that alone caused some inner turmoil. What kind of daughter regrets their mom _not_ being dead? And what kind of person pines for a fake dream lover? It sounds like some Elfo behavior. Speaking of that, where has Elfo even been? Is he still wallowing over that stupid boat?

Bean was preoccupied with her thoughts, a pint in one hand and the other on the wall as she headed back up to her room. If she had been looking up as she approached, Bean would have noticed that her door had a large crack in the front in the shape of a jagged antenna. She wouldn’t have recognized the antenna, but she’d have known it’s not a natural symbol and definitely wasn’t there before. Bean did notice her door wasn’t latched, but chalked it up to Bunty being Bunty.

Even from her peripheral vision she could see her room wasn’t the way it usually was. Looking up from her sulking, she noticed her entire room had been rummaged through. Not in that way that Bunty sometimes does, but in a destructive and manic way. Bean sighed. She didn’t really have the energy to deal with this either. How many more days until Bunty’s next cleaning day? How much would it cost to ask her to come? Who would she have to talk to to fix the things that are undoubtedly broken? How long will it take her to even take inventory of what’s there, what isn’t, and what’s been moved? Bean was exhausted just thinking about it. She didn’t have the fortitude to feel violated right now. Just tired. She had really hoped to just lay in bed and drink and cry until she fell asleep, hoping for another visit from her special friend.

Bean looked around, at least to figure out if she could still lay in her bed and resume her original plans. Her bedding was all tousled, but that was probably her. Her sofa’s cushions were moved and her homemade gin was spilled on the floor. The bathtub was wet, but it didn’t look particularly damaged. Her knickknacks were on the floor, some broken and some intact. If it had been just the trinkets, Bean could’ve assumed Luci was practicing being a ‘better cat’ again. But her wall decor was ripped and torn off, too. A tiny trøg door was behind where her tapestry usually sat. Interesting.

Having to take even cursory inventory let Bean reflect on all of the things she just didn’t notice anymore. The background noise to her life. The music box seemed unharmed. Bending down to pick it up, something else caught her eye.

Underneath the music box was part of the torn tapestry. A woman’s supple breast was squarely underneath the box, and the woman’s fins trailed down below.  _ That’s right _ , Bean thought,  _ I’ve always had mermaids in my room. _

Ever since she was young, Bean and her mother found mermaid motifs to suit Bean. Being under the music box, Bean thought about something else. She wasn’t sure she ever brought the box back from her last visit with her mom. In fact, it seemed downright suspicious. Her mother openly mocked her dreaming fantasies about sex with a mermaid before she ever met Mora. Her mother has messed with her dreams before. Her mother has definitely tried to end her dad before, although this would be a more roundabout route than usual.

It seemed clear to Bean now. And although there was still a leaden weight somewhere between her heart and her stomach, she felt confident that Mora wasn’t real. Dagmar created this twisted fantasy to sidetrack her from the daily operations of the Kingdom. Dagmar twisted and crushed Bean’s heart just because Dagmar is an evil, awful, terrible mother that just wants Bean to do her bidding. Dagmar just wanted to distract Bean from being able to give her full attention to caring for her traumatized father, slipping further and further into madness.

It was all Dagmar.

Bean yelled in frustration, chucking the music box against the trøg’s door. It snapped at its hinge, weakly playing its musical notes until fading to nothing. Bean really was all alone. Nobody loves her. Maybe her dad did once, but now there’s nobody. She couldn’t get close to anyone and nobody even wanted to get close to her. And now her world is crashing down and everyone else’s may literally crash down if Steamland attacks or if the trøgs don’t support their stupid little holes correctly.

The rest of the mess can wait, Bean decided. Clenching the scrap of cloth with the mermaid’s breast on it, Bean left. She walked past the mop girl and told her that her room will need to be cleaned before Bunty’s next scheduled interval. She found Luci downstairs playing kitty with Zog. There was some new cat there. Kinda looked like an asshole. Bean would’ve left it outside to fend for itself. Elfo was off doing Elfo things, whatever that meant. He joined the duo on this new adventure Bean had decided they must embark on.

Against her better judgement, she left Odval in charge. Well, she left her dad in charge. But that meant Odval. And his weird sex cult. Whatever. Not important right now.

“So uh, Bean. Where we going?” Elfo asked, walking double pace to keep up with Bean and her new-found determination. “And why do you look so mad?”

“I’m going to find my mother, Elfo, and I’m going to get some answers,” Bean responded, with more volume and certainty than she felt she had any right to possess. Bean  _ was  _ certain Dagmar is just up to her usual mind tricks, but she really wasn’t certain she wanted any of her mother’s answers. They tended to make things worse.

At this, Luci jumped ahead of the other two, stopping them in the middle of the cobblestone street. They were near the crossway with the statue of her dad, looking angry and mostly lucid. Those were better days. Luci raised his hands in protest, “Listen, Bean. I just don’t think we should do that, alright. I don’t think you have any questions for her right now.”

“Maybe none that you know. But she crossed a line this time. It’s always been personal. But this time,” Bean squinted her eyes and clenched her fists so tight she could feel her nails against her palms. “It’s personal-er.”

Bean didn’t elaborate any further and pushed past Luci. Luci shrugged and continued to follow her. Elfo trailed behind once he considered what questions Bean could have. Maybe she needed lipstick or high heel or queen advice.

Bean turned around abruptly, walking back past the statue of Zog. The other two hung back, not sure why she had such a sudden change in direction. They had expected her to be angrily pacing back and forth, just maybe a few more steps than most people would. Bean does tend to be a bit dramatic and overzealous when she’s angry. When she approached the drawbridge, they ran to catch up to her.

“Whoa whoa whoa, now wait a minute,” Luci said, catching his breath as he jumped onto Bean’s shoulder. She immediately set him back on the ground. “Wait! I just don’t get it. Why are you going back?”

“I don’t know where she is,” Bean admitted, sighing. “The only place I know she comes are my dreams. I don’t even know where to begin in the real world.”

Bean looked up at the sky, the sun dazzling and hot, the water sparkling on the coasts in her peripheral vision. She took a deep breath. And yelled. “LISTEN HERE, DAGMAR. I WILL FIND YOU. AND I WILL FIND OUT WHAT YOU’RE UP TO!”

Luci and Elfo looked at each other and shrugged. Luci decided long ago to not get too wrapped up in the royal family problems. Too much baggage. With that, the trio made their way back inside the castle.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Bean trudged past the great hall. She heard flailing, crashing, and banging noises, all interrupted by the honking and squawking she’d come to mean her father is in one of his fits. She wasn’t so sure she should call them fits anymore. They were becoming part of his identity more and more every day. Loud noises, stressful situations, anything that wasn’t Bean or meat or a cat (or Luci) seemed to set him off these days. Bean desperately wished she could help him. She wasn’t ready to be queen anymore than she was ready to deal with the declining health of her father. She always had expected Zog would die from eating butter soup, or being bested in a battle with one of his equally voluminous friends from other kingdoms. She thought he’d die from the gunshot wound. She didn’t expect he’d be alive and his mind would die like this. Luci and Elfo recognized the noises too, and they both found a convenient excuse to leave the castle immediately.

Her eyes welled up with tears, and she ran down the hall, rubbing her eyes as she went. Nobody else in this castle could see just how much this affected her. They already think she’s too emotionally volatile to be a ruler just because she’s a woman. She can’t cry. 

The sun was far from down, but Bean was determined to make sure her mother would come out today. She needed answers, damn it! Opening the door to her room, the mop girl was placing one of the last trinkets back on a mantle. The room wasn’t perfect - the girl was clearly too short to fix some of the things. And she just doesn’t know Bean’s hiding places the same way Bunty - or even Elfo - does. But it was pretty good. The scraggly haired girl excused herself from the room at Bean’s entrance and quickly made her way down the hall, her bare feet plodding along.

Bean was alone in her room. She let her tears fall more freely here, and took a few heaping breaths before sobbing. She couldn’t do it loudly. She was never allowed to, and she wasn’t going to start now while Odval was looking for weaknesses in order to usurp the throne. She threw herself onto her couch, sniffling, and smothered a particularly loud wail with a pillow. The pillow stunk like the kind of gin that might kill you on accident. Bean laid there, her legs over the end of one of the arms, her head balanced on the other. Her entire face was hot and her eyes were puffy. Bean’s nose ran and she sniffed it back up. She put a hand onto her face, cold by comparison to her heated complexion. Air was rapidly moving around her mouth, her front teeth a little cold and more dry than usual. She looked up at her ceiling, thinking about what she could possibly do to make sure Dagmar showed up tonight. But the crying exhausted her, and she soon found herself dozing off.

Not long after, Bean awoke. Mora was leaning over her, staring directly into her eyes. Her puffy, red, teary eyes. Bean immediately felt embarrassed, looking so disheveled next to such a heavenly creature. The embarrassment quickly faded when she remembered that Mora wasn’t real. Mora couldn’t be real.

Bean sat up quickly, forcing Mora to back up. She was standing on the ends of her fins the way she had when they had gone on the cruise in the stolen ship together. A little weird looking in Bean’s opinion, but it didn’t seem to bother Mora. Bean stared at the mermaid, a pointed look meant to bore holes into her body and find the truth about what the hell was going on. Bean readjusted to be sitting properly on the sofa, her elbows planted on her thighs, holding up her head.

“Bean, have you been crying?” Mora asked, bending over the sitting woman and running a finger along Bean’s jawline. The soft motion sent a shiver down the budding queen’s spine. Bean’s head hurt. She needed beer. “Why are you crying?”

Bean looked away from Mora’s eyes and found herself staring at the mermaid’s long hair and swaying breasts. Mora seemed to oscillate in place, giving herself an appearance of fluid. She looked lower, settling for staring at where Mora’s fin connected with her hips. “Are you even real?”

“What’s gotten into you?” Mora asked, sounding somewhat offended. She sat down on the floor between Bean’s legs, looking up at the sad princess. “How could you even ask me that?” Her voice softened. “I’ve been here supporting you.”

Bean looked at the mermaid. She noted that not only had Mora not answered her question, but was outright lying. Bean had been here alone! Dealing with all of this… this… this  _ shit _ in the kingdom by herself. Who did this stupid mermaid think she was?

“I don’t think that’s true, Mora,” Bean responded slowly. If Mora was something created by Dagmar, it could be dangerous to let on that she suspected anything was amiss. “You haven’t been around in days. And you weren’t around for days before that. Your visits are sporadic and they’re short. I feel like you know nothing about what’s going on around here.”

“Then Bean, oh Beanie,” Mora replied, running a fingernail down the white haired woman’s arm. “Then why don’t you let me in? Tell me what’s going on.”

Bean didn’t necessarily trust her, but she also didn’t trust her right now, ya know? She might be something of Dagmar’s, but there’s nothing Bean could say that could give Dagmar more power in Dreamland. And Bean really needed a friend. The kind of friend she could talk about her feelings to.

“Well, my dad’s really losing it,” Bean started. She wasn’t certain exactly how much Mora might already know. “Like, really losing it. Odval was talking about putting him in diapers. He got shot and then he was buried alive and I don’t know. He just… broke?”

Bean’s eyes started to tear up again. She looked away from the mermaid. She really didn’t want Mora to see her cry. And even though she really needed someone to talk to, now that she could say all of the words out loud, they choked her up. Mora grabbed her hand tightly and squeezed it. Her hand was surprisingly warm. Bean looked back up.

Mora’s lips were cute and perfect. Her hair glossy and dark. She didn’t look like she had been in the water recently. Didn’t smell like it either. Where had she been? Had she been watching Bean for awhile? How long can mermaids even stay out of water? Bean felt the tears fall down. She sniffled, as if somehow that would make the tears go back up into her eyes. Mora left her one hand firmly holding Bean’s, and reached with her other. She wiped away the tears with her thumb. She cooed and shushed Bean. Her affection was intoxicating. Bean didn’t particularly want to do anything sexual, but she really didn’t want Mora to leave. She offered to lay in bed with the mermaid, and maybe just be held. The mermaid obliged.

The mermaid held Bean tight, Bean’s head resting on Mora’s chest. They sat that way in silence for a long time. The sky grew dark and the elves grew loud and feisty outside the castle’s gates. Whenever tears would fall, Mora would wipe them away and kiss Bean’s eyelids. Whenever Bean shuddered and began to sob, Mora would hug her tighter. Slowly, Bean was able to explain to Mora everything that had just gone so wrong. And not just recently, either.

Bean felt more sure while being held by the mermaid than she ever had before. She was rude and clueless before. Mora couldn’t be something from her mother. Dagmar couldn’t conceive of creating something as loving as Mora is. Bean curled into Mora’s body, pressing herself into the mermaid. She murmured apologies while Mora stroked her hair. She drifted back off to sleep.

In the morning, well after the elves fell asleep in drunken stupors and the geese got bored of honking at Zog, Bean woke up. She was still curled in a ball in her bed, but there was no mermaid there. Bunty was in her room, finishing tidying and fixing some of the spots the girl from yesterday had missed.

“What is going on?” Bean asked herself, once again feeling betrayed by her own heart. She never should have let her guard down. If she hadn’t been so preoccupied with the green smoke she noticed outside her window, she may have noticed Bunty sweeping a shimmering green scale up from under her sofa.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Bean spent the day making preparations for the green smoke that was quickly traveling toward her kingdom. It was exhausting and stressful, especially attempting to handle it while the king sat in the throne room, one stressor away from the edge.

By the time night fell, all Bean wanted was the warm embrace of a nice cold beer. Bean walked through the castle grounds, her boots clomping along in the mud from today’s rain. Her head was lost in thought, but she noted that it was a little chilly tonight. She probably should have brought a cloak with. Ah well, Luci’s Inferno would leave a warmth in her belly that would remove any concern for the slight chill.

As she reached the bridge, she looked out to the water. She couldn’t see any shadows in the dark waves tonight. The white haired woman sighed deeply. She was disappointed, even though she wasn’t surprised. Man, was that ever a motto of her life. She called to lower the drawbridge and made her way out to the town. Even though the green smoke was clearly visible from the castle, it was much harder to see in the lower hills of the town. Most folks probably hadn’t noticed it, and those that did probably chalked it up to just being yet another weird thing going on in the forest.

The water barrel man was as chipper as ever. But when Bean passed by he looked at her like a stern old man and asked her if anything had gotten her down that day. At Bean’s solemn demeanor he even offered her a Me-Water for just ten cents. Bean declined, not wanting anything to dilute her mission at Luci’s.

Her mission was a rousing success. Pint after pint, Luci kept them coming. The exchange rate was great! Give a coin, get a drink. For all the things Bean lacked, she definitely didn’t lack coins. She improved morale with the village people, playing a rowdy game of bloody knuckles and ducking out when the yelling stopped being fun and games and knives started coming out. At that point she rejoined Luci, sitting on a stool at the bar.

“I don’t mind the fights, but I’m really not keen on cleaning up the blood,” Luci commented while wiping out a dirty glass. The glass was still dirty when he was done -- he often said the dirty cups were the “charm” of his establishment. “Cleano should’ve accepted this job when I offered it - it’s perfect for him!”

Bean took another double. Or two or three or whatever, she wasn’t really keeping track. She confided in Luci some of her conspiratorial thoughts about the green smoke and the goings-ons at the castle. Clearly green smoke had to be from Steamland. The bar was a bit blurry, and it made her dizzy. She put her head down on the counter.

“Hey, Princess,” Luci tapped on Bean’s shoulder while waking her up. “Bar’s closed. If nobody else gets to stay here, I don’t see a reason to give you the royal treatment.” Luci laughed at his own joke.

Bean sighed, throwing a few more coins at Luci to square up the tab. She was pretty sure it was already current, but Luci assured her she was short a few. Whatever. She staggered out the doorway and started heading back up the cobblestones to the cursed castle she had to govern.

She stopped at Zog’s statue, looking up. It’s incredible how bad he’s gotten in just a few days. She really missed her father. His brief moments of lucidity just made it hurt more. He seemed so scared when he could speak. So damaged. She placed a hand on the plaque for a moment to steady herself, and continued on.

At the drawbridge, she felt compelled to look at the beach once again. Anger welled inside of her ethanol addled brain, and she stormed to the shore. Even if Mora wasn’t there, she was going to give her a piece of her mind!

And there wasn’t anyone at the shore. Or in the distance in the water. It was a cold, deserted, rocky beach. Bean kicked the sand, sure that she could think of some way to make the universe pay for her anguish.

“This sucks!” Bean yelled to nobody in particular. She swung her body around and fell to a sitting position on the shoreline. She cupped her hands to her mouth and called out to the ocean. “This is all your fault!”

Bean looked out to the sea, trying to think of what to do about the green smoke. Her entire brain was foggy. Coherent thoughts weren’t even really possible right now. She wasn’t entirely certain she’d even remember her detour to the water, even if she came up with a good idea about the smoke. Leaning back, she touched what she initially thought was driftwood. Looking over, she realized it looked a lot like that guitar Mora had played for her on those wonderful nights. 

_What the hell?_ Bean thought, confused about the instrument’s entire existence. She sat upright, wobbling a little. Bean let out a burp then picked up the guitar. She laid it out in her lap the same way she saw the mermaid do it. She tried plucking a few of the strings. None of the sounds were very good, or really anything at all like what the mermaid could do with them.

Maybe it was Dagmar magic that made this dumb thing sound good, too. Or maybe Mora was just really talented. Bean really didn’t know anymore. Anything seemed possible. This was proof Mora was real, right? Or was this just another dream and she was going to wake up on Luci’s counter, needing to square up a bar tab?

Bean stood up, holding the guitar firmly by its neck. “Hey! Mora! Your stupid guitar is here!” She yelled to the sea. “If you don’t come get it, I’m gonna take it! You’ve got to the count of ten!”

Bean yelled her countdown out to the continuously moving sea. Nothing ever came to the beach for her, and nobody tried to stop her from counting. She did see someone look down one from one of the castle’s towers, but they quickly opted to not get involved in whatever the princess was trying to do.

She hit ten. She lowered her hands, and her shoulders slumped. Disappointed, but not surprised, Bean mused. Of course Mora wouldn’t come to the beach right now. Everything about the mermaid is a mystery. Sure, Bean knew that she’s a princess who left for Steamland to be a star, and she’s had a hard time getting close to people, and her parents are a little overbearing, and her sister is kind of rude... but Bean didn’t really feel like she knew Mora.

The booze anger rose inside of her again. How dare her time be wasted with this imaginary lover? Bean deserved so much more than that. Dagmar was sure to pay for messing with her like this. There’s definitely a real person who can relate to Bean and make her look forward to their time together.

Even if Mora  _ was _ real, why should Bean only get to see her when Mora wants? How come it’s okay that she keeps getting to make Bean feel like dirt and then just gets to kiss her and make it better? And why does that even work?

Bean looked over at the jagged walls lining the small beach, and back out to the sea. Raising the guitar over her head, she swung it hard against the wall. The guitar shattered, sending splintered wood across the ground, some landing in her hair. The strings shrieked as they broke, curling back to the neck. For good measure, Bean swung a few more times, littering the beach with the side effects of her intoxicated rage.

Bean went home, falling into a fitful, drunken sleep. When she awoke, her memory of the night before was hazy. Her hands were red and her knuckles bruised. She pulled a splinter out of the palm of her hand. She remembered the bloody knuckles. She’d have to apologize to Luci for breaking whatever it was that caused the splinter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On a rewatch I realize Mora has a ukelele, not a guitar... but for the sake of consistency within my story, I've opted to continue writing about it as a guitar, rather than edit past chapters. Thank you everyone so far for your follows, kudos, and comments. I also love them and my heart breaks for their relationship. <3


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